Economics, environment, mobility, safety

Nothing is guaranteed to spark anger on the street in the UK more quickly than a parking issue. There is no law that entitles a householder to park outside his or her home and many people without driveways rely on finding a space for their cars in streets some distance from where they live. The value of a parking space close to home is evidenced by the number of former front gardens now covered with concrete: a growing problem for urban planners and environmentalists alike.
Perhaps they should look at practices in other countries. In Japan, for example, you need to prove you have a parking space before you can buy a car. This policy was imposed in the 1950s when car ownership first started to grow. With very narrow residential streets, there was an urgent need to ensure they did not become clogged with cars. The policy created a demand for leased parking near homes or car parking to be included as a requirement for new builds. The regulation has eliminated the need for controls such as residential parking permits – and heated debates with neighbours.
It is also likely that the policy has slowed the growth of car ownership in Japanese cities where property prices are high but where there are best opportunities to use public transport.
The proof-of-parking policy has now (July/August 2010) been adopted by Mizoram in India’s far east and by the state of Sikkim. Several other major Indian areas are said to be considering the plan. However, the August 26 edition of the Times of India stated, ”Like telephone or internet connectivity, personal mobility is a tool of empowerment that enables people to raise their living standards as well as quality of life. The government should enable rather than raise the cost of personal mobility, if it wishes to improve the living standards of people. The stress should be on improving urban planning and building public infrastructure like multi-level parking malls.”